Shoe sole having heel cushioning device

ABSTRACT

A shoe sole includes a resilient cushioning device engaged in the heel portion for cushioning heel portions of users, the resilient cushioning device includes two frame members cross to each other to form an X-shape structure as seen from side portion and each having an inclined structure and each having a front portion and a rear portion. Each of the frame members has a portion suspended in the shoe sole, to provide a resilience to cushion and support the heel portions of the users. One of the frame members includes one or more arms to support the other frame member. One or more resilient members may further be used to cushion the frame members.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a shoe sole, and more particularly to ashoe sole having a resilient cushioning device for the heel portionthereof.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical shoe soles may comprise one or more bladders or air chambersformed in the shoe soles, to increase the resilience of the shoe soles,and to resiliently support the heel portions of the users.

However, the bladders or the air chambers formed in the shoe soles maynot be used to effectively cushion the heel portions of the users.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate theafore-described disadvantages of the conventional shoe soles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a shoe soleincluding a resilient cushioning device for attaching to the heelportion thereof to effectively cushion the heel portions of the users,and thus to comfortably support the heel portions of the users.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a shoesole comprising a heel portion and a front portion, and a resilientcushioning device engaged in the heel portion of the shoe sole forcushioning heel portions of users, the resilient cushioning deviceincluding a first and a second frame members cross to each other to forman X-shape structure as seen from side portion of the resilientcushioning device, the first frame member and the second frame membereach including an inclined structure having a front portion and a rearportion, the rear portion of the first frame member being located abovethe rear portion of the second frame member, and the front portion ofthe first frame member being located below the front portion of thesecond frame member, and the rear portion of the first frame member andthe front portion of the second frame member being suspended in the shoesole, and including a resilience to cushion and support the heelportions of the users.

The front portion of the second frame member includes an opening formedtherein, the front portion of the first frame member is extended throughthe opening of the second frame member. For example, the front portionof the second frame member includes two legs and a bar to form anddefine the opening thereof.

The second frame member includes at least one arm extended therefrom andengaged with the rear portion of the first frame member, to support therear portion of the first frame member. The arm of the second framemember includes at least one projection extended therefrom, the rearportion of the first frame member includes at least one cavity formedtherein to receive the projection of the arm of the second frame member.

A resilient member may further be provided and engaged between the rearportions of the first frame member and the second frame member, tocushion the rear portion of the first frame member.

Another resilient member may further be provided and engaged between thefront portions of the first frame member and the second frame member, tocushion the front portion of the second frame member. The front portionof the first frame member includes a seat provided thereon to receiveand support the resilient member.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from a careful reading of the detailed description providedhereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side schematic view of a shoe sole in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial side schematic view of the shoe sole;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a resilient cushioning device for the shoesole;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the resilient cushioning device for theshoe sole; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the resilient cushioning device for theshoe sole.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIG. 1, a shoe sole 10 inaccordance with the present invention comprises a rear or heel portion11 for supporting heel portions of users, a front portion 12 forsupporting front foot portions of the users, and a resilient cushioningdevice 20 attached or engaged in the heel portion 11 of the shoe sole 10to effectively cushion the heel portions of the users.

The resilient cushioning device 20 may be engaged into the heel portion11 of the shoe sole 10 while molding the shoe sole 10, and includes twoframe members 30, 40 arranged cross to each other, in order to form asubstantially X-shape structure (FIGS. 1-2) as seen from the sideportion of the resilient cushioning device 20. The frame members 30, 40may be engaged into the heel portion 11 of the shoe sole 10 whilemolding the shoe sole 10.

One of the frame members 40 includes an inclined structure having a rearportion 41 located below a rear portion 31 of the other frame member 30,and a front portion 42 located above a front portion 32 of the otherframe member 30. The other frame member 30 also includes an inclinedstructure having the rear portion 31 located above the rear portion 41of the frame member 40, and the front portion 32 located below the frontportion 42 of the frame member 40.

The rear portion 41 of the frame member 40 includes a flat bottomsurface 49 for being stably retained or molded in the heel portion 11 ofthe shoe sole 10. The front portion 42 of the frame member 40 ispreferably slightly shorter than the front portion 32 of the framemember 30, and includes an opening 43 formed therein, and definedbetween two legs 44 and a bar 45.

The front portion 32 of the frame member 30 is extended forwardly anddownwardly through the opening 43 of the frame member 40. In addition,the frame member 40 includes one or more arms or a peripheral arm 47extended therefrom and engaged below the rear portion 31 of the framemember 30, to further support the rear portion 31 of the frame member30.

The arm 47 of the frame member 40 includes one or more projections 48extended therefrom, for engaging into one or more corresponding cavities33 (FIG. 5) formed in the rear portion 31 of the frame member 30, inorder to anchor or secure the rear portion 31 of the frame member 30 tothe arm 47 of the frame member 40.

In operation, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, due to the engagement or themolding of the frame members 30, 40 within the heel portion 11 of theshoe sole 10, and due to the inclined structure of the frame members 30,40, the rear portion 31 of the frame member 30 and the front portion 42of the frame member 40 are suspended in the shoe sole 10 and may thusinclude a suspending structure, and may thus include a suitableresilience to cushion and to comfortably support the heel portions ofthe users.

The rear portion 31 of the frame member 30 includes an O-shapedstructure, as seen from the upper portion thereof (FIGS. 3-5). The framemember 30 includes a socket or a seat 34 formed or provided on the frontportion 32 thereof.

The resilient cushioning device 20 may further include a bladder or aresilient member 50 engaged between the rear portions 31, 41 of the twoframe members 30, 40 (FIGS. 1-5); and/or another bladder or a resilientmember 60 engaged between the front portions 32, 42 of the two framemembers 30, 40 (FIGS. 1, 5), and/or seated on the seat 34 of the framemember 30, to further provide a cushioning force between the two framemembers 30, 40, and thus to further cushion and comfortably support theheel portions of the users.

Accordingly, the shoe sole in accordance with the present inventionincludes a resilient cushioning device for attaching to the heel portionthereof to effectively cushion the heel portions of the users, and thusto comfortably support the heel portions of the users.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure hasbeen made by way of example only and that numerous changes in thedetailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

1. A shoe sole comprising: a heel portion and a front portion, and aresilient cushioning device engaged in said heel portion of said shoesole for cushioning heel portions of users, said resilient cushioningdevice including a first and a second frame members cross to each otherto form an X-shape structure as seen from side portion of said resilientcushioning device, said first frame member and said second frame membereach including an inclined structure having a front portion and a rearportion, said rear portion of said first frame member being locatedabove said rear portion of said second frame member, and said frontportion of said first frame member being located below said frontportion of said second frame member, and said rear portion of said firstframe member and said front portion of said second frame member beingsuspended in said shoe sole, and including a resilience to cushion andsupport the heel portions of the users.
 2. The shoe sole as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said front portion of said second frame member includesan opening formed therein, said front portion of said first frame memberis extended through said opening of said second frame member.
 3. Theshoe sole as claimed in claim 2, wherein said front portion of saidsecond frame member includes two legs and a bar to form and define saidopening thereof.
 4. The shoe sole as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidsecond frame member includes at least one arm extended therefrom andengaged with said rear portion of said first frame member, to supportsaid rear portion of said first frame member.
 5. The shoe sole asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one arm of said second framemember includes at least one projection extended therefrom, said rearportion of said first frame member includes at least one cavity formedtherein to receive said at least one projection of said at least one armof said second frame member.
 6. The shoe sole as claimed in claim 1further comprising a resilient member engaged between said rear portionsof said first frame member and said second frame member, to cushion saidrear portion of said first frame member.
 7. The shoe sole as claimed inclaim 1 further comprising a resilient member engaged between said frontportions of said first frame member and said second frame member, tocushion said front portion of said second frame member.
 8. The shoe soleas claimed in claim 7, wherein said front portion of said first framemember includes a seat provided thereon to receive and support saidresilient member.